Technical support is often required for users of a computer. This technical support may be to correct or diagnose a fault of an application running on the user's computer or to guide or educate the user in the use of an application running on the user's computer.
A variety of approaches currently exist to provide technical support. The most effective, but most costly approach is on-site support where a technical support agent visits the premises of the customer/user and works directly with the user on the user's computer. Another approach is for the user to call a help desk call center and speak to a technical support agent. The technical support agent will then explain to the user how to solve the problem or use the application. The primary disadvantage of this second approach is that the technical support agent is unable to see the display screens of the user's computer. Also, there may be language differences between the user and the technical support agent, or lack of familiarity of the user with the terminology spoken by the technical support agent.
Still another approach is to use a screen sharing application to enable the technical support agent to remotely view and manipulate the display screen of the user's computer. To begin this approach, the user telephones the technical support help desk and verbally logs a problem request. Once the user's problem request has been processed, the technical support agent may initially send the user an e-mail detailing the solution to the user's problem. If the problem is not resolved after this initial attempt, the technical support agent may need to see the user's display screen to solve the problem. If so, the user downloads and installs a screen sharing application if the user does not already have one. Next, the user launches the screen sharing application and sends the user's screen to the computer of the technical support agent. Once configured, the technical support agent is able to view the user's display screen. Then, the technical support agent can tell the user how to operate the problem application or take control of the user's screen and operate the problem application directly. There are several disadvantages of this approach. The user must have the capability to simultaneously operate the screen sharing application with a broad band connection and make a telephone call. Also, the user must make complex configuration settings for the screen sharing application. Also, some users may not want the technical support agent to control their computer.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an improved method and system to deliver technical support to remote users of computers.